Less is More - Thanks

Woke this morning to glorious sunshine (I could seriously get used to this!) and the new challenge from less is more.  This week is lucky dip week and we have been given a theme of Thanks or Congratulations.  If you haven't taken the plunge yet to join in then this would be an ideal week to start.

My card sort of evolved today as many of mine do!  I started off with looking at my stamps for Thank Yous or Congratulations and chose this stamp from Afterthoughts, a Hostess Level 1 set.  Normally I would mask off the text underneath and perhaps use this in the middle, but today I decided to completely use it for the front.  The owl from Fox and Friends immediately fell into place standing on the T.  I positioned it using my Stamp - a - ma - jig (definitely a must have item at only £10.95 in the catalogue!) and stamped it in chocolate chip.  I cut the whisper white into a square and mounted it onto real red card.   I was already thinking a step ahead and wanted to make it look like a tag.  I used my crop-a-dile to punch out and set a brad then looped some real red ribbon through it.  Now I had my tag I decided it would look best  on some textured whisper white and keeping it in the square cut this to 6" by 6".  I've made a similar panel in the middle with some whisper white and real red.

Can I take this opportunity to pass on my own thanks to all the lovely limettes who have commented and visited my blog in the past week?  It's very much appreciated and I've enjoyed visiting you too.  Also a big thank you to my new followers, I hope you visit often.

I'm off out to have lunch in the garden and to enjoy this sunshine whilst it's here.  Hope you have a great day. x

Materials Used
All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated

Card - Whisper White textured, Whisper White Smooth, Real Red
Ink - Real Red, Chocolate Chip
Stamps - Fox and Friends, Afterthoughts
Accessories - Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, brad from my stash
Tools - Stamp-a-ma-jig, Crop-a-dile

Same but different

Two cards using the same colours, same stamp set and same design but still different.

I've used the Simply Said stamp set creating a flow of overlapping flowers in Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy on the left card and Baja Breeze and Whisper White on the right.  The left hand card has been stamped onto whisper white then mounted on Not Quite Navy before being attached to a Baja Breeze card base whereas the right hand card is one layer only using Baja Breeze.  

It's great to experiment with your stamps and just try out different effects and then decide which you like best.

Thanks for looking, have a great day. x 

Punch Potpourri Best Wishes

A simple post tonight.  This card uses the Punch Potpourri stamp set which is available as a hostess set only.  Each of the stamps has a matching punch.  Super easy! 

On this card I've used basic black as the card blank.  A swatch of real red with a strip of whisper white for the background.  I stamped the heart in real red on whisper white and punched it out.  This was then attached over the white strip.  The bird is actually stamped in versamark then heat embossed with black embossing powder and punched out.  I popped up the bird with a dimensional.  The sentiment is Best Wishes from Silhouette Sentiments and was also stamped with versamark and then black embossed.  

I'd like to enter this as my second card for less is more. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to comment.  I love this challenge blog, everyone is so friendly and there's loads of inspiration.  See you next time. x 

Four Frames - Card No.4

Final card in the Four Frames series - this one using the rose frame.  The card base is melon mambo.  I repeatedly stamped the frame in the same ink to produce a background pattern.  Then stamped the frame in whisper white and punched out using the Decorative Label punch.  I attached a strip of whisper white to elegant eggplant then attached this to the bottom of the card blank.  The white strip would also look great in satin ribbon.  A couple of basic rhinestones on the label to finish off.  

I hope you've enjoyed looking at the four frames series and have got some inspiration from it.  Have a great day. x 

Less is More - Father's Day card

Hello everyone, not so sunny here today but still nice.  I've been busy today working on my entry to this weeks challenge at  less is more which is to follow a recipe - off centre.  I can't believe that's the time already it seems to have disappeared today.

I've used one of the stamps from Lovely As A Tree. A bit different to my norm I decided to make a 6" by 6" card.  I chose the textured card stock in Sahara Sand as I felt it reminded me of the bark of a tree.  I stamped the tree in soft suede on whisper white.  I masked the tree and lightly sponged around it in crumb cake  and some pear pizzazz at the bottom.  Then added a little sponging to the foliage in pear pizzazz and again crumb cake to the trunk.  I was aiming at a soft effect.

I mounted two corners with old olive and wrapped chocolate chip ribbon around the bottom.  I then used two stamps for my greeting.  Both are in Occasional Greetings. Firstly the fathers day stamp was masked so that only Father's would show and this was stamped in soft suede.  Then I used the Happy Birthday stamp but again only inked Happy and Day.  These were positioned using my Stamp-a-ma-jig.  The greeting was trimmed and placed onto the ribbon.

Phew can't believe I've only got one card to show for almost all day.  I'll never receive the speedy limette badge that's for sure. Lol!!

Have a great weekend. x

Four Frames - Card No. 3

Happy Easter everyone.   I hope you have had a lovely day today.  We have had some gorgeous weather recently.  I could get used to this!

My card today is No.3 in the Four Frames series.  I love the way this card came together.  It was a complete surprise.  Not even the frame I'd originally intended to use!

The flower panels are made with the blossoms stamp from Punch Potpourri.  I inked the stamp with old olive.  Then using my Blender Pen I picked up ink from my elegant eggplant stamp pad (after squoshing the ink pad to create a pool of ink on the lid) and highlighted some areas of the stamp.  This was stamped onto whisper white and mounted onto elegant eggplant.  The birdie label was also stamped with elegant eggplant and punched out with the Decorative Label punch then a couple of dimensionals to pop it up.

Thanks for looking and hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. x

Four Frames - Card No. 2

As promised here is card no. 2 using the Four Frames set.  Again I've made a matt to go behind the frame in melon mambo but only for the top and bottom this time.

Here's how I've made this card -

I've stamped the large flourish from Baroque Motifs in old olive onto whisper white.  The star flowers are stamped in melon mambo.  For some of the flowers I didn't re ink the stamp but stamped again giving a paler flower.  This is such a rich colour, I love it.  I then matted a very thin strip of olive green onto the top and bottom of the whisper white.  Then added another strip of melon mambo to the top and bottom after punching it with the Scallop Trim Border punch.  This panel was then attached to the elegant eggplant base.  I chose the polka dot frame and stamped it in melon mambo and punched it out with the Decorative Label punch.  The sentiment is from Basic Phrases and stamped in old olive.  I made a matt for the frame as explained above and added it to the card.

So this is my second card in the four frames series.  I hope you'll pop back to check out the others. x

Less is More with a theme - Acetate

This is theme week at the less is more challenge blog.  The lovely ladies, Chrissie and Mandi, really set a toughy this time - acetate is the theme. Who'd have thought that one word could strike such fear!





Oh dear I thought this may just be the first week I fail to put in an entry.  However it is supposed to be a challenge after all so off I went to rummage the rubbish bin, rake through the kids toy boxes, no point looking in my craft stash as I knew I didn't have any.  Any offices I could raid??  Alas no so instead I did the sensible thing and went to a local craft store.

The above card is the idea that I'd been formulating whilst doing all that rummaging.  The acetate is attached to the back of the punched out holes to create windows.  I then stamped in black the Circle Circus stamps overlaying some of them onto the acetate windows.  A strip of basic black satin ribbon and some of the smallest basic rhinestones set in the small circles finishes it off.

I'm actually rather pleased with it, having really dreaded this challenge, so thanks ladies for making me think once again.

Four Frames......Well only one actually!

This card uses the Four Frames set from the mini catalogue.  I plan to make a different card using each of the frames but keeping the colour palette the same to show the different effects that can be achieved.  The colours I've chosen from my Colour Coach are - elegant eggplant, melon mambo and old olive.

On this one I've used elegant eggplant as my card base, melon mambo as my mount and old olive for the ribbon strip.

Here's how I made it  -
I repeatedly stamped the large image from Bliss in the 3 colours (sometimes stamping off) on whisper white card.  I then embossed it using the Square Lattice embossing folder.  I love the effect this gives you.  There's so much texture that it almost feels and looks like material.  I used a very elegant frame from the set and stamped in elegant eggplant.  I think this frame would look fab embossed in gold or black.  I then stamped "for you" from the Occasional Greetings set in old olive.  This was punched out using the Decorative Label Punch.  The matting around the frames were made by punching out 2 frames in each colour - elegant eggplant and melon mambo.  Then cutting the frames in half - first one horizontally and second one vertically.  Then piece the cut outs to the back of the label to create a frame effect.

Hope you come back again to see what I come up with for the other frames.

Thanks Aileen x

Can you add some words???.......

Here are a couple of cards where I was asked if I could add some words i.e. make them personal.  Well as the cards had already been made this proved a challenge.  It was OK when I was able to make an insert and put the personal bit in the middle, well mostly...........

This is a gatefold card that I have previously posted using Fox and Friends and I was asked to put  - to Grandson and maybe his name -  Euan.  However as you can see I've pretty much filled up the middle with the little animals peeking out.  After much thought I realised I could put some computer printed panels on the inside of the "doors" and I'm really pleased with the result.

My next card to show you is using that fabby motorcycle stamp.  This time I'd used Night of Navy as a card base and Bashful Blue embossed with the square lattice folder.  I'd coloured in the motorbike to match on Whisper White.  Fortunately I hadn't put a sentiment on the front of this one so it wasn't too difficult to use the tag punches and again my computer to make the sentiment - Happy Birthday Son. 

Thanks for looking again and a Hi goes out to Valerie and Lynn.  Hope everyone is having a good week. x

It's not easy!

It's not easy to complete a challenge where the sentiment is the focus.

It's not easy to avoid ink marks on a crisp clean one layer card.

It's not easy to ink your stamps with markers only in certain places.

It's not easy to line your stamps up even using your stamp-a-ma-jig.

It's not easy to stamp the last stamp without fear of messing up.

It's not easy to add a tiny amount of glitter with no smudges.

It's not easy to stop making cards for the less is more challenge blog.

Thanks Chrissie and Mandi for not making it easy!

Materials Used

All Stampin' Up! supplies unless stated otherwise

Card: Whisper White card stock

Ink: Pear Pizzazz and Concord Crush Markers

Stamps: On a Pedestal

Additional: Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Bliss Less is More Challenge

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.  It was my daughter's 9th birthday on Saturday so we have had a very busy time, opening presents, eating cake and going to the fun fair in Aberdeen.  She had a super day!

This weeks challenge at less is more is to make a one layer card with the sentiment as the focus.  Chrissie and Mandi really like to challenge us!  And this one, for me, was a challenge.  All weekend I was thinking about what I would do to complete the challenge this week in between the blowing out of candles and going out for tea.

I decided to have a go at this technique.  (I don't know the name of it)  First of all I chose glossy card stock as my base which i haven't tried out before.  I decided to use Bliss as my sentiment and stamped it in versamark then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then masked off a strip and sponged with perfect plum and elegant eggplant.  I used a tissue to carefully wipe away any ink on the embossed bliss.  (I say carefully because my first attempt is now in the bin!  Rubbed a bit too hard!!)  The ribbon I found in my stash and after several attempts at a bow decided on a knot.  After all I think this is going to be a wedding card and they do say "tie the knot."  Thats my excuse but really it's because I'm just rubbish at bows!

Anyhoo thanks to all for you lovely folks who leave comments.  I really appreciate them and to Chrissie and Mandi for continuing to challenge us.  And a big Hello to Sylvia-Anne and Caroline, thanks for following. x

p.s. tried to take a photo to show how shiny the Bliss is but it's just not happening!

Edit:  Mandi suggested in her comment to try a contrast ribbon or in white so here it is with white and I must admit I like it better.

Monkeying Around

A quick post tonight to share a fun card.  This card is on pear pizzazz and the central panel is mounted onto chocolate chip.  I stamped the monkey from Fox and Friends in chocolate chip ink on whisper white card, linking their tails using my stamp-a-ma-jig.  The heart is from the So Happy For You set and I covered it with crystal effects.  The "Thinking of You" is from Silhouette Sentiments with a line drawn at either side. 

Have a good evening. x

Materials Used

All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated

Card: Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red

Stamps: Fox and Friends, So Happy For You, Silhouette Sentiments

Other: Crystal Effects

A touch of elegant red

Last card for Less is More I promise.  

My idea for this card started with the bird from Punch Potpourri, a hostess set.  I wanted the pattern on the bird to be my touch of red so I stamped using whisper white craft ink on real red card stock, then clear embossed it.  I punched it out using the 2 step bird extra large punch.  Then just to make things more difficult for myself decided it didn't look white enough.  The white on the red looked a little pink!  So using my stamp-a-ma-jig I lined up my stamp, securing my bird on a post it, and stamped again in whisper white then another layer of clear embossing.  Whew tricky bit over!   

Next was layering up.  I matted whisper white onto a real red card base.  I cut a smaller rectangle and matted it again but this time I embossed an edge around the whisper white using my bone folder.  I used the decorative label punch from the mini catalogue to punch out a label in whisper white.  I used dimensionals to pop this up and finally added my bird using dimensionals again.  I've swithered about a sentiment but really like the clean front of the card so I think for this one it will be in the middle.

Below is a photo to hopefully show the embossing on the bird.

Thanks for looking and thank you to all the comments I have received recently.  A warm welcome also to my new followers.  I'm off now to try and catch up with the other entries to this fantastic blog. x 

Butterfly Birthday

This was a fun card to make.  I wanted to match it to the wrapping paper so picked out some colours and chose Pacific Point, Pear Pizzaz and Melon Mambo.  The butterflies are from Butterfly Prints and I first stamped them onto the whisper white then again and punched out using the butterfly punch.  The sentiment, from the same set, was stamped in pretty in pink.  I punched a frill using the eyelet border punch.  I probably wouldn't have thought to put these colours together but I like the result.

As always thanks very much for looking and your comments are much appreciated. x

Materials used
All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated

Card: Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink
Stamps: Butterfly Prints
Punches: Butterfly, Eyelet Border

Silhouette Sentiments and Less is More - A touch of red

Oh dear once you get started on something...... well my favourite colour is red!  

As I am still enjoying playing with the masking and sponging technique, I wanted to have a go at sponging an area and putting a silhouette in front.  Silhouette sentiments are perfect for this.    I punched out a mask using the 1 1/4 square large, punching it twice to create a rectangle.  Then sponged using real red, pumpkin pie and so saffron onto the whisper white card base.  The image and sentiment were stamped using chocolate chip.  

I'm really chuffed with my first attempt at this style. Have a look over at the Less is More blog there are loads of very talented entries. 

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mums out there! x  

Less is More - A touch of red

Well I've had great fun today making cards for this weeks challenge over at Less is More which is to include a touch of red.  It really is a fab blog, very friendly and very addictive! 

This wasn't my first idea.  My first idea was the card below.  However I noticed, with a very fast entry, Zoe had used the motorcycle on her card.   So I thought I'd attempt something else.  

I came up with Silhouette Sentiments which I hadn't gotten round to using yet.  This set can't be bought but can be earned as a Hostess Benefit when you host a workshop or place an order for £150. 

I thought the little flower would look great coloured red.  I used my stampin' write markers in real red and pear pizzazz.  I enjoyed using the markers to colour the stamps for a change as it gave a slightly more water coloured effect.  I stamped them in a row on whisper white using my stamp-a-ma-jig for positioning.  This was mounted on real red and placed on a pear pizzazz card base.  The sentiment is from the same set, stamped in pear pizzazz onto whisper white and punched out using the large tag.  To make it smaller I repositioned the tag back into the punch and punched it again.

As I had already stamped and coloured the motorbike I decided to go ahead and make up the card - 

The motorcycle is one of the new stamps from the mini catalogue and as my husband is a keen biker it really was a must have.  His bike is red so first time out it had to be red didn't it?! 

I stamped the bike onto whisper white and mounted it onto basic black.  I then used one of our brand new embossing folders - square lattice on real red card stock to make a strip behind the image.  How brill is it that we now have the Big Shot, dies and embossing folders for Stampin' Up!?  The Happy Birthday is from the Basic Phrases set and stamped in whisper white.  

As I really like this card I'm going to put this one into the challenge, although the image is the same as Zoe's the cards look completely different. 

Thanks for having a look at my cards.  Your comments are very much appreciated. x

Mini catalogue for 2011

The new mini catalogue for 2011 is now here. (click here to view)  It's all very exciting as Stampin' Up! in the UK can now offer the Big Shot with dies and embossing folders designed exclusively for Stampin' Up!   There are also new designer papers, ribbons, buttons and stamp sets.  Why not grab a tea or coffee, make yourself comfortable and have a browse.  You can place an order with myself by e mailing - ails300@btinternet.com or by calling 07827923123